2 Things To Consider When God Gives You The Green Light

The most impatient person on planet earth is the guy waiting in the second car back at a red stoplight—three seconds after it turns green!

A series of events typically occur in those craziest of moments.  Usually the guy waiting starts talking to himself (hopefully not screaming) and saying things like, “Come on buddy!”  A split second later he lays both hands on the car horn as if ordaining it for vehicular ministry.

Startled, the perpetrator in the first car jerks awake from his daydream, wondering what all the excitement is about.  He glances up, sees the bright green lights (“Yikes!”) glaring before him and slams his foot on the gas, all the while checking his rearview mirror to see just how annoyed the guy behind him really is.  The first car burns rubber, trying to stay ahead of every car behind him because the last thing he wants to do is have to look over and mouth the expected apology (“Sorry!”).

Sound familiar?  I am sad to admit it but there have been times in my own life when I have found myself sitting in the driver’s seat of both those cars.  Shame on me!

And yet, I can also see myself driving both of those cars from a spiritual perspective as well.

Occasionally I find myself sitting in the second car, frustrated and honking my spiritual horn because life is not going like I hoped it would.  Yet at other times I know I have also been the slacker daydreaming in the first car where other people—and particularly the Lord—are honking their horns at me, trying to motivate me to get a move on and burn some rubber.

Have you ever felt like you have been sitting in one of those two spiritual cars?  Yes, I think we all have.

So the question we need to answer when trying to determine God’s will, then, is this: When the Lord gives us the green light in life and ministry, what should we do?

Ultimately, when God gives us a green light for anything, we have two options to choose from.  This certainly isn’t rocket science but, as you no doubt know, it can sometimes feel like brain surgery.  So here are our options:

1. DISOBEY.  Just continue living as if God hasn’t changed the color of the light.  Do nothing.  Or worse yet, do exactly what you’ve been doing all along.  Pretend the light doesn’t exist.  Don’t glance up so you won’t see the lights of opportunity flashing before your eyes.  Just keep fiddling with the knobs of your radio and turn up the volume so you won’t hear your conscience convicting you.  (If this option doesn’t seem like a good one, you can always choose number two.)
2. OBEY.  Follow the Lord’s leading, not your own.  Put your foot on the gas pedal and don’t look back.  Do what He desires.  Surrender to His sovereignty and deny the worldly security blanket that you’ve been holding on to for so long.  Put all your energy in pursuing God and His will for your life.  And always remember what the wisest man, King Solomon, wrote under the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

So which one is it, my friend?  Your way or God’s way?  I think you already know the answer, don’t know?

Let me know your thoughts about this issue and this question.

Question: How has God been working in your life lately, and what do you think He has planned for you in the near future?